Uglier than Fiat Multipla? The Russian reaction to the Tesla is largely met with ridicule

It was supposed to be Russia’s answer to the American Tesla, but when the first photo of the domestically built electric car was leaked, it was mostly met with ridicule. The Russians also call the Avtotor Amber the “Tesla Killer”.

Comments like “a worthy successor to the Multipla” and “one hopes the car will look different in real life” say something about what Russians think about the car. From a distance, the Avtotor Amber actually looks a little like a Fiat Multipla, which many consider to be the ugliest car in the world.

Uglier than Fiat Multipla

Looking at the photo, you might think it’s a joke, but according to Het Laatste Nieuws, the first 100% Russian-made electric car was actually unveiled in Kaliningrad, Russia.

The Russian car manufacturer Avtotor was founded in 1996 and grew into one of the largest car manufacturers and assemblers in the world. In the past, the factories mainly assembled BMW, Kia and Hyundai cars until Western sanctions put an end to that.

Chinese cars as a source of inspiration

The cheap Chinese electric cars were a source of inspiration for building a car made entirely of Russian parts. The result is the Amber, intended as a city car. The car is scheduled to go into production from 2025 and 50,000 examples will be built per year.